The End of Brain Hormone Project Phase 2

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Well, we managed to squeak by with enough starling specimens to make Brain Hormone Project Phase 2 a success. It was looking grim there for a while - I was worried we wouldn't acquire an adequate number of samples, which would have potentially rendered the samples we had already collected up to this point (all the birds from the first phase) useless. Although, I suppose I shouldn't get too ahead of myself - they still need to be analyzed. Thankfully that's not my job, though!

So now it's a day or two of rest, then the telemetry begins . . . in the meantime, enjoy this short photo-essay of random pictures from my past few weeks!

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Photos

Shining Through
Never a dull sunset in Africa.

Wild Dogs
Joined Kayna to find a pack of Wild Dogs, again. This time we were searching for a pack from which an individual recently had to be put down because of rabies, and now Kayna must monitor the pack every day for a few weeks to make sure no others have it.

Red Head
Red-headed Rock Agama. Caught this guy with a string-pull trap; he was either sunning himself on the rock I put the bait on, or eating the ants attracted by the bait - I'm not sure which.

Is it safe to come out?
Found this African Hedgehog in my trap one morning, enjoying the hordes of ants attracted by the bits of chicken I'd used as bait the night before.

African Paradise-Flycatcher
This white morph (as opposed to the rufous morph) African Paradise-Flycatcher likes to flycatch near the offices - I often see him from my window.

Godfrey
Posing with his Masaai "bling" in front of Clifford's Kopje - he asked me to take this photo so that he can give it to his girlfriend . . . what a guy!

Broken Door
The work of hyenas, trying to get to the trash pit.

Find the Bird
Wilson and I found a Spotted Thick-knee (Dikkop) on a nest near where we were mistnetting one morning. They have impressively large eggs, relative to their body size! They also blend in quite well, and won't flush from the nest until you're practically standing on top of them.

Crazy Grasshopper
Wilson found and caught this grasshopper one afternoon while we were exploring a set of cliffs, locally known as the Baboon Cliffs, that look out over the southeast part of Mpala (and neighboring ranches).

Adult Ant-lion
We've been seeing quite a few of these at night as of late. Superficially resembles a dragonfly, but is actually the adult stage of an ant-lion.

Torquoise Tortoise
Wilson and I stumbled across this tortoise while searching for Superb Starling nests one afternoon.

Hatchling
Baby Superb Starling, probably only a few days old, from a nest at about chest-level in an [i]Acacia drepanolobium[/i], or Knob-thorn Acacia (the type of acacias with bulbous hollow thorns in which specialized acacia-ants dwell).

[i]Bufo[/i] sp.
Unknown toad hopping around outside the administration building one evening.

Golden Orb Weaver
Look at that freakin' thing! Found this gal above where I had been sitting for several hours, watching a mistnet.

Arachnophobia
Even though this spider *allegedly* doesn't pack much of a punch in its bite, I can't help but be a little wigged out by it.

Hissing Sand Snake
Found on a night drive during which we also had great views of a leopard.

Hiding
Wild Dog in the grass

Dung Beetle
Shiny!

Horned Beetle
Wilson found this tiny two-horned beetle . . . add another one to the list of cool beetles in central Kenya!

Dinner Dung Beetle
This sanitary little guy decided to join us for dinner. Can't say he was invited.

Comments

[shannon]

great pics!
you have some amazing pictures, Ty! Nice work. Maybe photojournalism is your calling?! Love you!

[M]

Jumpin' Grasshoppers!
That is about the coolest grasshopper ever. Can't imagine how you found it in the first place. The baby starling looks like it has a smile on it's face. The spiders are terrific. Great photos!....M

[Alyssa]

I've seen one of these in Oregon. Where did you see the one in the picture? I'm wondering where they are native to.

[Peregrine]

This picture was taken in central Kenya . . . still haven't figured out what it is! Bizarre thing - like a nocturnal dragonfly.

[Charles]

About
Sorry, but that's not a dragonfly...it looks more like a neuroptera (it is not either...but more alike)...Anyway it's a beautiful animal...

[Katarina]

Ant-lion not dragonfly
Hi Your picture shows an adult Antlion. They are not very closely related to "normal" dragonflies but have a similar appearance. The young antlion digs a small crater shaped hollow in loose sand or soil. Sits patiently well hidden at the bottom waiting for an ant to slip into the crater, it cant get up and then the antlion grabs it. Dragonflies never have antennae. Regards Katarina from Sweden

[Peregrine]

Thanks, Katarina! I've always wondered what an adult ant-lion looks like. Now I know!